Otto Porter Jr. Height: 6-8
Weight: 198 lbs.
Age: 24
NBA Experience: 4 years
Nickname: Bubba; O; Ottomatic
By the Numbers:
Games Played: 80
Games Started: 80
Total Minutes: 2,605 (32.6 MPG)
Points: 1,075 (13.4 PPG)
Assists: 121 (1.5 APG)
Rebounds: 515 (6.4 RPG)
Steals: 116 (1.5 SPG)
Blocks: 41 (0.5 BPG)
Field goals: 414-803 (.516)
Free throws: 99-119 (.832)
3-pointers: 148-341 (.434)
Turnovers: 43
Net Rating: 21 (129-108)
PER: 17.3
Everyone will enjoy discussing how John Wall and Bradley Beal each had career years in their first season under head coach Scott Brooks, but I would argue that it was Porter that had the biggest improvement from the 2015-16 season. Wall was already a solid All-Star and Beal’s play was never question, but simply a matter of him staying on the court. For Porter, he had career highs in points, rebounds, steals, blocks, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, free throw percentage, and much more. Some pundits argue that players excel in contract years and maybe that was a contributing factor to the Georgetown products’ best season in his young NBA career.
Season Takeaways
There is always more a player can work on and that is certainly the case for Porter. He has established himself as a solid catch and shoot player, which is one reason he should stay in D.C. because Wall is certainly a big reason for his deep ball shooting percentage, but he needs to add more to his game. He has shown flashes as a strong cutter and has a decent one dribble in midrange jump shot, but he needs more. There was a reason Boston hid Isaiah Thomas on him during the playoffs and besides a strong stretch of post ups in Game 3 from Porter, the Celtics got away with it. As a result, Porter must get in the weight room to bulk up, especially since Washington enjoys playing him at the stretch-four positions a lot.
At the end of the day, Porter works for the Wizards. He does not have an ego or demand the ball for more than 15 shots a game, he only had three games with 16 or more shots attempts all season, which gels well with the Washington backcourt. The House of Guards usually take at least 35 shots a game combined so having the third non-big taking 10 or less helps ensure there are enough shots to go around. Moreover, Porter is in essence the glue guy that goes and works his tail off to make all the hustle plays and ever team needs at least one of those individuals in their starting lineup.
First and foremost, Porter has proven to be a deadly three-point shooter, which is exactly what Wall needs surrounding him as a point guard. Yes, Porter’s efficiency from beyond the arc became average and rather pedestrian following the All-Star Break, but that allowed him easier drives and cuts to the basket as well as defenders not helping off of him as much. If Porter were to maintain, let alone better, his 43.4 percent three-point shooting over the next five years, then he is certainly worthy of a max contract.
What's next?
In my opinion, the Wizards needed to retain Porter to keep the starting five intact and avoid taking a step back and the team brass seemed to agree since they did match Brooklyn’s max offer sheet. Porter will be fighting critics throughout the next year about how he is not worth the $106.5 million. What he can do to silence them (as John Wall and Bradley Beal have done)? Have another season of shooting well about 40 percent from three, continue to play strong defense, and add another aspect to his game; perhaps a go to isolation move to create a little bit of his own offense.
The best of Otto off the court.
The best of Otto on the court.